Unifor donates 150-thousand to Canadian Red Cross B.C. fire relief

September 4, 2018VANCOUVER – Unifor has donated $150,000 to the Canadian Red Cross B.C. fire appeal to aid British Columbians as they cope with the worse fire season on record.“The damage is devastating, in 2018 more of B.C. has burned in wildfires than any year on record and the threat isn’t over yet,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. “The Canadian Red Cross will use this donation for immediate and ongoing relief efforts.”Thousands have been evacuated with more than 20,000 people on alert as a state of emergency remains in effect until September 12.“Across the country, the Canadian Red Cross is ready to come to the aid of Canadians when they need it the most,” said Kimberley Nemrava, Canadian Red Cross Vice-President, British Columbia and Yukon. “This welcome support from Unifor, along with donations from generous Canadians and the B.C. government, will allow us to continue providing support for those individuals and families who have been affected by this summer’s fires.”Unifor’s donation was made through the union’s Social Justice Fund, Canadian Community Fund and Regional Councils. The Canadian Red Cross has also set up a portal for individual Unifor members to donate directly at www.redcross.ca/BCFires/Unifor.“Unifor is proud to support the Canadian Red Cross with their work to provide urgent assistance and to help the long term recovery effort,” said Unifor Western Regional Director Joie Warnock. “Our members believe in supporting our fellow citizens and our communities.”Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.For more information, please contact Unifor Communications Representative Kathleen O’Keefe at kathleen.okeefe@unifor.org or 416-896-3303 (cell).

The IShop Canada campaign promotes the purchase of products manufactured in Canada with the goal of creating and maintaining good paying jobs. In response to an escalating trade war with the United States Unifor, Canada’s largest private sector union, launched IShop Canada to provide a platform to share information on products that support manufacturing and associated spin off employment. I Shop Canada is about making a choice at the cash register to use our collective purchasing power to aid workers in our communities and across the country. By choosing to Shop Canada you:-Invest in good paying jobs -Stimulate the Canadian economy by encouraging growth -Increase tax base from workers and corporations to fund social services, such as healthcare and education -Create employment for future generations -Purchase high quality products -Ensure items are manufactured under labour, safety and environmental regulations -Reduce environmental footprint by buying locally Share your I Shop Canada buy! Get your shopping list going! Take a picture of your favourite made-in-Canada purchase or if you work in the manufacturing of a product take a selfie with your colleagues to share on social media using the #IShopCanada hashtag. Want to tell your friends about the campaign? Visit the IShopCanada Facebook page to add a frame to your profile picture to let your friends and family know that you support workers in Canada. On Twitter make sure to tag in @IShopCA and @UnifortheUnion so your posts can be easily shared. You can also email your pics to the communications department at IShopCanada@unifor.org Vacationing in Canada this summer or enjoying local activities in your neighbourhood? You can also share those experiences using the #IPlayCanada hashtag. To view the images and participate, visit the I Shop Canada Facebook page.

Unifor donates $500,000 to the Canadian Red Cross in assistance to those affected by the Ft. McMurray fire!